Ah, the margarita. It’s, perhaps, the most unifying cocktail of them all. Enjoyed by nigh on everyone, there’s something about the blend of earthy tequila with bright, zippy, lime that will never cease to intoxicate us – quite literally! But did you know it actually traces its lineage back to an older, but similarly tart and refreshing, cocktail called ‘The Daisy‘? In fact, ‘Margarita’ is the Spanish equivalent of the name ‘Daisy’. The more you know! Thanks for the drink, Daisy! So, where to find the best margaritas in London? Read on for 15 places to get your next margarita fix:
1. Hacha, Dalston and Brixton
We kind of have to start here. The margaritas at Hacha are so popular, and so delicious, that they’re the stuff of London legend. I recommend kicking things off with the Honeybee Margarita, where Don Julio Blanco Tequila or Banhez Mezcal is shaken up with Hacha’s house sour mix and chipotle honey. It’s one of their bestselling cocktails for a reason, with a rich flavour and a satisfying kick of spice from the chipotle. But we’d be remiss to not also mention the Mirror Margarita, where the Hacha lore began. The crystal-clear margarita can easily be bought in bottled form and is perfect for celebrating at home.
Throughout the summer, from June 1-August 31, Hacha has partnered up with tequila brand Cazcabel for a takeover of the ground-floor of Hacha Brixton. The ground floor bar and bottle shop will offer up a dedicated Cazcabel menu of five exclusive cocktails, as well as tequila flights and tastings. And, naturally, there’s an all-new margarita on the menu too: the Lemon Balm Margarita, with Cazcabel Blanco, lemon balm liqueur, and Hacha’s very own sour Mix. We’re racing there!
📍 Hacha Dalston, 378 Kingsland Road, E8 4AA. Nearest stations are Dalston Junction and Haggerston.
📍 Hacha Brixton, 12 Market Row, SW9 8LD. Nearest station is Brixton.
2. Viajante87, Notting Hill
For a delicious margarita with a dash of style, an ounce of eco-consciousness, and lashings of flavour and ingenuity, head to one of Notting Hill’s newest, and best, cocktail bars, Viajante87. We’ve already heaped absolute bundles of praise upon the stunning new bar, and more than just a great place for delicious cocktails, it’s definitely one of the best places to order a margarita in London. No wonder, since this zero-waste bar is heavily focused on agave spirits and drinks. The Signature Cocktail menu may not reveal any margarita offerings, but the bar also serves up a selection of perfectly crafted classic cocktails – including, yes, a picture-perfect margarita.
📍 Basement, 87 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3JZ. Nearest station is Notting Hill Gate.
3. The Arber Garden, Fitzrovia
Look, the margarita is already delicious enough in its purest form – but damn if everyone doesn’t love it when extra flavours are added to make it even more delightful! And The Arber Garden has just the sort of fruity margarita that gets a stamp of approval. Their Mango & Chilli Margarita nods to the Mexican delicacy of chilli-and-lime-dusted mango with its blend of both tequila and mezcal, mango, spicy agave, and lime. Meanwhile, their Smoked & Spice Margarita accents the notes of the mezcal with the addition of chilli and kumquat. For a super-summer-y concoction, opt for the Strawberry & Basil Margarita with – you guessed it – strawberry and basil!
📍 1 Pearson Square, W1W 7EY. Nearest station is Goodge Street
4. Corrochio’s, Dalston
We couldn’t write this list and not mention one of the best Mexican eateries in London, could we? Of course not! The margaritas at Corrochio’s are absolutely thrilling – and they claim to have the best in town. Go for the Margarita a la Diabla, which is, by all accounts, one of the spiciest margaritas in the UK. No wonder, given they use their house habanero sauce in it! It burns so good!
📍 76 Stoke Newington Rd, London N16 7XB. Nearest stations are Dalston Kingsland and Rectory Road.
5. Cavita, Marylebone
We’ve got two words for you: watermelon margarita. And this ain’t the typical sugar-laden drink you’d typically associate with a watermelon margarita. The Cavita Margarita adds fresh spiced watermelon to balance the sour lime for the ultimate refresher that you’ll have to keep from downing in one. You’ll be telling everyone about this one. Be sure to check out their hidden mezcal den while you’re there!
📍 56-60 Wigmore Street, London W1U 2RZ. Nearest station is Bond Street.
6. Florattica, Aldgate
Try out a margarita with a floral twist with Florattica’s Alma cocktail. Their lavender-scented take on the margarita utilizes blanco tequila, hibiscus-infused mezcal, ancho chile liqueur, lavender syrup, and citrus. It’s spicy, earthy, and just sour enough to keep you coming back for more!
📍 Level 11, Canopy by Hilton London City, 11-15 Minories, EC3N 1AX. Nearest station is Aldgate.
7. Callooh Callay, multiple locations
Want a good cocktail? Then… head to a good cocktail bar. Duh. And if you head to one of London’s OG high-quality-low-pretension cocktail bars you’ll find yourself face to face with a flawlessly executed margarita. Currently, a Pokemon-inspired cocktail menu has them serving up drinks that will have wanting to ‘sip them all’. But margarita fiends will want to head down for Margarita Mondays, where a special menu of margaritas is priced at just £10 a pop. The Coconut Margarita comes highly recommended!
📍 Callooh Callay Shoreditch, 65 Rivington Street, EC2A 3QQ. Nearest stations are Shoreditch High Street or Old Street.
📍 Callooh Callay Chelsea, 316-318 King’s Road, SW3 5UH. Nearest stations are South Kensington or Sloane Square.
8. El Pastor, various locations
El Pastor took the margarita, a seemingly simple drink, and ran with it. They offer up outrageously conceived, but damningly delicious riffs on the classic ranging from the Avocado & Passionfruit Margarita to the frozen Lagerita which is topped up with Corona, and even the Breakfast Margarita which throws Orange Marmalade into the drink. Know exactly how you like your margarita, or want them to shake one up with a premium agave spirit, order the Backbar Margarita and they’ll make it just the way you like it.
📍 El Pastor London Bridge, 7A Stoney Street, SE1 9AA. Nearest station is London Bridge.
📍 El Pastor Soho, 66-70 Brewer Street, W1F 9UP. Nearest stations are Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus.
📍 Casa Pastor, Coal Drops Yard, N1C 4DQ. Nearest station is King’s Cross St. Pancras.
9. Skylight Peckham, Peckham
Skylight Peckham offers up blue-sky views over London and red-hot margaritas that will have your taste buds dancing. Their Picante swaps out the base tequila for a chilli-infused alternative that brings the heat to the drink. What hits you first – the spice or the booze? Head on down to find out!
📍 Theatre Walk (in between Peckham Library and Mountview College), 120 Peckham Hill Street, SE15 5JT. Nearest stations are Queens Road Peckham and Peckham Rye.
10. The Sun Tavern, Bethnal Green
This famously raucous neighbourhood bar can always be depended on for delicious cocktails at affordable prices that don’t skimp on quality or flavour. Don’t be deceived by the relatively small menu – with fewer drinks to choose from, you can be sure that everything is executed flawlessly. One such example of this: the Bonnie’s Margarita. Giving the classic tequila cocktail a spicy twist, The Sun Tavern’s take mixes up Ocho Blanco Tequila, Pisco, Lively White Vermouth, Scotch Bonnet Ferment, and citrus. Not one for the faint of heart, but delicious nonetheless.
📍 441 Bethnal Green Road, E2 0AN. Nearest station is Bethnal Green.
11. The Lillie Langtry, Fulham
Another margarita that’s been given a spice-forward twist can be found in a perhaps unexpected venue: the cosy pub environs of The Lillie Langtry. The pub was recently refurbished (resulting in the above stunning, yet cosy, décor) and they gave their drinks menu a swift kick up the butt too. The result is, among others, a Jalapeño Margarita offers up just enough kick to make you question why you can’t stop sipping it.
📍 19 Lillie Road, SW6 1UE. Nearest station is West Brompton.
12. TOCA Social, The O2
Add some footy fun to your margarita-drinking experience by heading to TOCA Social. There, at the venue’s special Tequila Taka Bar you can sip at your choice from 34 delicious tequilas – but you’re here for a margarita! In that case, opt for the Frozen Margarita with Cazcabel blanco, Lime, Cointreau, and Agave, or the Lionel Mezzi with Koch El Mezcal, Ginger, Lychee, Yuzu, and Lemon. Score!
📍 Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX. Nearest station is North Greenwich.
13. Korean Dinner Party, Soho
Korean Dinner Party is a frenetic mix of east-meets-west dishes, kitsch cocktails, craft sake, and Korean hip-hop. So, essentially, it’s an incredibly fun time! They also have a delicious margarita on the menu in the form of the Osmanthus Crystal Margarita: a smoky twist on the classic with mezcal, agave, and osmanthus flower.
📍 Top Floor, Kingly Court, Carnaby, W1B 5PW. Nearest stations are Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus.
14. Señor Ceviche, Soho
A fusion restaurant merging the worlds of Peruvian and Japanese cuisine might not be the most obvious choice for drinking the best margaritas in London. But just wait until you’ve tried them. Their MAMACITA, for example, adds chilli cordial to the typical margarita specs, for an exciting twist on the classic. The best part? their MAMACITA Margarita is available at a steal during their Lima Happy Hour from 3-7PM, Monday to Friday.
📍 Kingly Court, Carnaby, W1B 5PW. Nearest stations are Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus.
15. Barrio, multiple venues
And now for something slightly different… With one of their bars laying claim to being the biggest tequila bar in the world, where else would you go for affordable and delicious margaritas? But that’s not all they offer. They also host incredible party nights of MARGARITA PONG. That’s right – the typically beer-oriented endeavour is massively improved by smashing up everyone’s favourite cocktail with the classic college game of mayhem. After the fun, there’s even a DJ and an evening of non-stop immersive entertainment at Barrio’s Livin’ La Vida late night experience.
📍 Find your nearest venue here.
So, there you have it. The best margaritas in London. Go forth and libate. (And feel free to invite me too!)